A consequence of rising global temperatures is that water stored as ice near the

Question

A consequence of rising global temperatures is that water stored as ice near the poles (EX: in Greenland and Antarctica) will melt and sea levels will rise. This will create serious problems for coastal communities worldwide. But mealting ice is not the only cause of rising sea levels: the increased temperature can cause sea levels to rise directly by thermal expansion. If the temperature of the upper 400 meters of water in our oceans increases by an average of 2.00 degrees C, by how much would sea level rise in response? (Assume that for water, Beta = 8.80 X 10 ^-5 degrees C^-1)

Explanation / Answer

As given in the question,

Height of Sea water: h = 400 m

Increase in temperature: T = 2 °C

Beta for water: = 8.8*10^-5 (°C)^-1

The rise in sea level because of the thermal expansion can be calculated using following formula,

h = *h*T  = (8.8*10^-5)*400*2 = 0.0704 m = 7.04 cm

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